Everyone Loves Summer in New York (State)

ALBANY, NY - From the Big Apple Circus and other special events to the latest and greatest hotels to stay in, things to do and places to eat, New York State is booming this summer with openings, new attractions and entertainment, major renovations, restorations and improvements. Here is a sampling:

New Things to Do and Places to Go

Central New YorkThis is the first season for Southern Tier Kayak Tours, offering kayaking trips on the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers and the Palisades valley, all equipment provided. www.stktours.com

Finger LakesIn Onondaga County, Destiny USA in Syracuse, the largest LEED® Gold certified retail commercial building in the country, will be the 6th largest shopping center in the country when completed, offering over 260 luxury outlets and retail stores, restaurants and entertainment. A grand opening celebration is planned for August 2. www.destinyusa.com

Nestled on 100 acres in Tioga County, the Aspen Family Campground in Candor offers privacy, 30 wooded sites, a solar heated pool, hiking trails, and a lake for fishing, boating and swimming. www.aspenfamilycampground.com

The Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival in Cayuga County showcases musicals from on, off, and beyond Broadway at three venues in the Finger Lakes and Central New York regions. http://fingerlakesmtf.com/

Hudson ValleyMotorcyclepedia is a new museum in Newburgh featuring over 400 motorcycles built since 1897, including police, military, sidecars, and more than 100 Indians. www.motorcyclepediamuseums.com

Three amusements in Tarrytown, Westchester County: Charles Dickens’ famous Christmas Carol comes alive in the Old Dutch Churchat the hands of master storyteller Jonathan Kruk, complete with musical accompaniment. Kruk also performs Washington Irving’s classic tale, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by candlelight, complete with spooky organ music. And, Horseman’s Hollow takes the tale of the "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" to its darkest extremes with a haunted trail in a terrifying landscape ruled by vampires, witches, undead soldiers, ghouls and ghosts. www.hudsonvalley.org

Conveniently located in Yonkers and just minutes from New York City, Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway offers more than 5,300 of the hottest slot machines, Electronic Roulette and Craps, a variety of restaurants, live entertainment, plus year-round world-class live harness racing. www.empirecitycasino.com

AdirondacksThrough poignant exhibits and tours, The North Star Underground Railroad Museum in Ausable Chasm, North County, reveals the hidden histories of slaves fleeing to Canada on the Champlain Line of the Underground Railroad. Free admission. http://www.northcountryundergroundrailroad.com

The Lyon Mountain Mining and Railroad Museum in Clinton County highlights the history of the mining industry around Lyon Mountain and Standish as well as the Chateaugay branch of the D&H railroad with games and crafts for kids. http://lyonmountain.bloatedtoe.com/LMmuseum.html

View, the new arts center in Old Forge featuring the 31st Annual Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors, is dedicated to making the visual and performing arts an integral and accessible part of the lives of residents and visitors of the Adirondacks, inspired by and reflecting the beauty of the natural environment. www.view.org

The Adirondack Theatre Festival in Glens Falls offers a play-reading of Filming of O’Keeffe by award-winning playwright Eric Lane about the artist Georgia O’Keeffe, July 21-22. www.visitlakegeorge.com/node/atfestival.org

NiagaraThree of Buffalo’s most venerable museums - the Albright-Knox Art Gallery www.albrightknox.org, the History Museum of Buffalo, New York www.buffalohistory.org, and the Buffalo Museum of Science www.sciencebuff.org, - are marking their sesquicentennials, or 150th anniversaries, this year with special exhibits and programming.

Now through 2014, Buffalo is joining Canada in celebrating 200 years of peace while commemorating battles fought on both sides of the border during the War of 1812. www.visit1812.com

The third annual National Garden Festival takes place through July 29 in Buffalo, with weekend garden walks, including America’s largest - Garden Walk Buffalo, which features workshops, speakers, bus tours and a neighborhood-transforming Front Yard Contest. www.nationalgardenfestival.com

Holiday Valley, in Ellicottville 50 miles south of Buffalo, is investing $13.9 million to improve this four-season resort, including the new $12 million Holiday Valley Lodge. There are also improvements at Sky High Adventure Park, the Double Black Diamond golf course and on-mountain projects.

New York State’s Maple Weekend offers an extra sweet way to enjoy early spring in the Adirondack Region March 26-27, as sugar houses across the New York State Park open their doors for tours, tastings and more.

The Adirondack Park in Northern New York is home to more than 2,000 miles of hiking trails - traversing the highest point in New York State, all the way to the southern edges of Lake Champlain. This summer, experience the thrill of discovery.